Sabres Trade Dylan Cozens/Dennis Gilbert and 2026 2nd Round Pick to Ottawa for Josh Norris and Bernard Docker

[Derrico]

1 hour ago, Second Line Center said:

I’m bummed about this.  
 

Still a big fan of Cozens and think this roster just being poorly constructed impacted him - needed linemates to elevate him not the other way around.  
 

Now …. I do think a lot of that is on Cozens.  This trade also tells me Adams felt like if there were any players that checked out after the Donnie firing and bringing in Lindy - it was Cozens.  Maybe Dylan was ticked Adams said they don’t work hard enough and Cozens got offended by that.  Being lumped in publicly as a team that lacked accountability.   
 

 

I think next to Brady Tkachuk is the exact perfect landing spot for him.  
 

Just disgusted we couldn’t find a version of that type of player to get into our top 6.  Not as good as Brady but that caliber.  

I was just disappointed they never really gave him a look at wing.  The best he’s looked in the last two years was playing wing at the worlds. He was a turnover machine this year and ok they’re moving on but wish we got an extended look there just to be sure. 

[klos1963]

3 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

This trade is fine in isolation but like... how does this make us a playoff team? We need more. 

Yeah,  but at least he didn't make a real stupid trade.  That's how low the bar is for Adams. 

[Rasmus_]

I just honestly cannot get over the oft injured issues.  I don't dislike Norris as a "player", but he's only had one season over 65 games. 

[bunomatic]

Seriously. Does this trade make the team better ?

Just now, Rasmus_ said:

I just honestly cannot get over the oft injured issues.  I don't dislike Norris as a "player", but he's only had one season over 65 games. 

Ras is that you ?

[thewookie1]

Just now, bunomatic said:

Seriously. Does this trade make the team better ?

Possibly; it’s more of a card shuffle to see if we can get better results

[Rasmus_]

17 minutes ago, bunomatic said:

Seriously. Does this trade make the team better ?

Ras is that you ?

This is fair critiscm based on my track record.  I want to be complimentary of my favorite team.  It's just hard under the current context.  Norris if he's healthy consistently is a vastly superior player. 

[dudacek]

Reading through a lot of stuff on Norris, the Sens, and their needs, it starts to become clear why the trade happened.

Some things Cozens does better than Norris (neutral zone puck transport, 5-on-5 scoring) are things the Sens need in their top 9. And the things Norris does better than Cozens (special teams, faceoffs, puck management) are things the Sabres need in their’s.

Also very clear that Norris is an immensely popular teammate.

[Pimlach]

9 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

I don’t like this besmirching of the Muppets. 

[LGR4GM]

7 hours ago, klos1963 said:

Yeah,  but at least he didn't make a real stupid trade.  That's how low the bar is for Adams. 

That's true. I think adding the 2nd rounder here sucks but that pick won't matter until 2030 so 🤷 

[Pimlach]

9 hours ago, Rasmus_ said:

I just honestly cannot get over the oft injured issues.  I don't dislike Norris as a "player", but he's only had one season over 65 games. 

He had the same recurring shoulder injury for several seasons.  They think its finally fixed now.  

Edited Saturday at 02:00 PM by Pimlach

[LGR4GM]

6 hours ago, dudacek said:

Reading through a lot of stuff on Norris, the Sens, and their needs, it starts to become clear why the trade happened.

Some things Cozens does better than Norris (neutral zone puck transport, 5-on-5 scoring) are things the Sens need in their top 9. And the things Norris does better than Cozens (special teams, faceoffs, puck management) are things the Sabres need in their’s.

Also very clear that Norris is an immensely popular teammate.

It's probably a fairly good trade, just wish we'd done more. I feel like we went from 28th to 25th with this move. Adams needs to do serious work on the defense still. 

[North Buffalo]

9 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Video of trade call.  

doesnt matter

25 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

It's probably a fairly good trade, just wish we'd done more. I feel like we went from 28th to 25th with this move. Adams needs to do serious work on the defense still. 

does matter

[Jorcus]

According to Cap wages Cozens is on Long Term Injured reserve. 

 

It says an ankle injury but expected return next week. 

Edited Saturday at 12:55 PM by Jorcus

[Jorcus]

6 hours ago, dudacek said:

Reading through a lot of stuff on Norris, the Sens, and their needs, it starts to become clear why the trade happened.

Some things Cozens does better than Norris (neutral zone puck transport, 5-on-5 scoring) are things the Sens need in their top 9. And the things Norris does better than Cozens (special teams, faceoffs, puck management) are things the Sabres need in their’s.

Also very clear that Norris is an immensely popular teammate.

 

The Ottawa GM kept talking about improving 5 on 5 play. Not sure how this trade helps that. Still not sure why Ottawa made this trade other than they found a way to save a little money. He did say something about this trade enabled the Zetterlund acquisition. 

[inkman]

Not sure if this was posted earlier in the thread

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6183737/2025/03/07/nhl-trade-grades-senators-sabres-dylan-cozens/

“Corey Pronman: Dylan Cozens is an extremely talented player who has underperformed after signing his big extension. There are a lot of reasons to think the 2019 No. 7 pick will bounce back though.”

“Josh Norris is a very good all-around center. He’s a strong skater who competes hard off the puck and has legit offensive skills. He’s shown he can be an effective two-way center when healthy, with very good puck hands, vision and finishing abilities.”

“Senators grade: A-
Sabres grade: C+”

”James Mirtle: The even bigger red flag for Norris has been his inability to drive offense at even strength. Over the past three seasons, Cozens is a respectable 97th in five-on-five points per 60 (1.97), putting him ahead of players like Nazem Kadri and Brock Boeser despite not always having great wingers to play with in Buffalo.“

“Norris, meanwhile, has managed only 1.31 points per 60 in that span, putting him 369th – basically in bottom-six territory – despite playing significant minutes with Ottawa’s top players.”

“Senators grade: A
Sabres grade: C-“

 

[_Q_]

12 minutes ago, inkman said:

Not sure if this was posted earlier in the thread

 

Not a chance

[LGR4GM]

10 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6183737/2025/03/07/nhl-trade-grades-senators-sabres-dylan-cozens/

“Corey Pronman: Dylan Cozens is an extremely talented player who has underperformed after signing his big extension. There are a lot of reasons to think the 2019 No. 7 pick will bounce back though.”

“Josh Norris is a very good all-around center. He’s a strong skater who competes hard off the puck and has legit offensive skills. He’s shown he can be an effective two-way center when healthy, with very good puck hands, vision and finishing abilities.”

“Senators grade: A-
Sabres grade: C+”

”James Mirtle: The even bigger red flag for Norris has been his inability to drive offense at even strength. Over the past three seasons, Cozens is a respectable 97th in five-on-five points per 60 (1.97), putting him ahead of players like Nazem Kadri and Brock Boeser despite not always having great wingers to play with in Buffalo.“

“Norris, meanwhile, has managed only 1.31 points per 60 in that span, putting him 369th – basically in bottom-six territory – despite playing significant minutes with Ottawa’s top players.”

“Senators grade: A
Sabres grade: C-“

 

Cozens has awful 5v5 defensive metrics. This is like dating someone who's super fun to hangout with but has a dirty house and doesn't care. 

Also, Pronman is truly a terrible writer. "There's lots is reasons why..." then doesn't list a single one. Just say it's because he's big and skates well Corey.

Edited Saturday at 01:40 PM by LGR4GM

[LGR4GM]

A different perspective, 

 

[LGR4GM]

26 minutes ago, inkman said:

Not sure if this was posted earlier in the thread

 

I don't wanna give Adams credit... but I might give him a touch. 

[LGR4GM]

9 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

Is the centre spine next season :

Tage
Norris
Kulich
McLeod

???

No, I think Tage is back to wing. 

Peterka - Kulich - Tage

Benson - Norris - Tuch

Greenway - McLeod - Zucker/Quinn

Ftr, I view these top 3 lines as having interchangeable parts. 

Malenstyn - Krebs - Lafferty 

... Adams has to move another player impo.

Edited Saturday at 01:47 PM by LGR4GM

[PromoTheRobot]

15 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

 

Also, Pronman is truly a terrible writer. "There's lots is reasons why..." then doesn't list a single one. Just say it's because he's big and skates well Corey.

Pronman graded the Byrum- Mittelstadt trade an A+ for Colorado.

[That Aud Smell]

13 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

After listening to Adams whine about how he's not afraid to make big trades, I've decided that Adams is truly Eeyore. What sad sack of incompetence he is. 

He is an absolute pud.

44 minutes ago, inkman said:

Not sure if this was posted earlier in the thread

 

Jeepers. Can you imagine if that had been the deal?!

[Pimlach]

45 minutes ago, inkman said:

Not sure if this was posted earlier in the thread

 

To Zach,  Adam’s gets no credit for rejecting an obvious one sided offer.    

[Scottysabres]

So, after reading the responses to this trade so far, did we get the better player?

Cozens definitely under performed here after that 30 goal season. Was it system? Was it the jaw incident? I don’t know, but he’s showed no signs of returning to form imo.